


Alan

by Transistance



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Grim Reapers, Musical Kuroshitsuji: -The Most Beautiful DEATH in The World- Sen no Tamashii to Ochita Shinigami, Poetry, Souls, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2016-06-11
Packaged: 2018-07-14 12:03:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7170284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Transistance/pseuds/Transistance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>William watches Alan die too many times, but fails to do anything about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alan

**Author's Note:**

> Concieved and written within about half an hour; loose poetry takes far less effort than prose.

William finds Alan's body  
Convulsing gently, foam-lipped  
A bottle of pills clutched between stiff fingers  
Content a mine-field over the floor.

The soul is scared and angry  
The record shows too many years spent  
Waiting, a thousand loved ones begging strength.  
It's too late to warn him that death buys time, not peace

And when Humphries is lined up, green of eye,  
Mouth a thin hard line, he seems  
Just like the rest. He's reserved -  
Paired with Slingby in order to counteract the bitterness.

Eric has brash charm, brute strength, and teaches   
Alan how to gauge the worth in a person too well.  
The first reap finds Alan sobbing, pale-faced, short-breathed  
And Eric wild-eyed, hoarse-voiced, helpless.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. Watching Alan  
Fade, wilt, die – was not on the agenda. Weakness seeps into actions,  
Aim straight and arm resolute until he collapses under the weight  
Of too much humanity.

Office relationships have never made much sense  
But nonetheless every year Eric is casually reminded  
To fetch flowers for Alan. Hyacinths or asters or  
Something like that – pretty names have never had space amongst papers and forms.

The pair sidestep one another, avoiding revelations, neglecting touch.  
Watching this asinine dance births the urge to take them around the shoulders,  
Shake them until they rattle, because  
 _For God's sake, Slingby, the boy is dying._

Alan throws himself into work, diligence  
Undermining approachability and common sense. This Eric notices  
And he fumbles, trying to help too much,  
Cloying aid unwanted and dangerous.

“But this was _my_ case!”  
Grell's lack of empathy is astounding as ever.  
She has an eternity to seek forgiveness; if Alan cannot  
Before the Thorns claw too deep, he will be lost.

_For God's sake, Grell, the boy is dying._

William finds Alan's body  
Absolutely still, curled up beside Eric's,  
The scythe's teeth having left no scars.  
The corpse is dull-eyed, tense-limbed, dead.

And Alan's soul is gone.


End file.
